US warns citizens against visitingGujarat, Ayodhya

The United States on Wednesday asked its citizens to avoid travelling to Gujarat and Ayodhya.

"Gujarat has been the scene of violent communal clashes. Non-essential US government-sponsored travel to Gujarat, except to the region of Kutch, is being postponed," the state department said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Private American citizens should also defer travel to the area," it added.

Stating that the risk of violence in Ayodhya and its surrounding areas remained high, the department also asked US citizens to avoid travelling to that part of India.